Do Changing Light Conditions Affect the Growth of Aiptasia?

Coral reefs are one of nature's most spectacular examples of biodiversity, largely due to the symbiotic relationship between algae and colonial polyps, the organisms that secrete the calcium carbonate shell that make up the coral reef. The coral’s health, however, can deteriorate in times of environmental stress, such as increased sea temperatures or a change in light conditions due to polluted waters. This stress can result in a condition known as coral bleaching, where the symbiotic algae is expelled from the coral, causing great harm and even death to the entire reef ecosystem. In order to better understand the symbiotic relationship between corals and algae, researchers in the Pringle Lab study the effects of environmental changes on sea anemones--a close relative to corals--to document any changes in growth patterns. This ETP involves students observing the growth rate of Aiptasia after being subjected to injury in controlled light conditions, and then observing the growth of injured Aiptasia in changed light conditions. By running these experiments, students will gain firsthand knowledge of how changing conditions can affect an organism.